Have you ever seen the Sarah Jessica Parker movie I Don’t Know How She Does It?

If you haven’t and you like SJP, it’s a good watch. SJP plays a mom with a loving husband and young kids, living in New York. She’s also a career woman, and a very successful one at that. That’s all I’ll say as far as synopsis, because I think the movie title explains it all.

Anyways…that’s pretty much my mother.

I’m sure it’s a lot of modern-day mothers, actually, and that’s pretty impressive. As for my own…well…I may not always agree with her, but I’m pretty damn proud to call Miriam Schneider my mother. I also consider myself extremely lucky to have a mom who values both her career and her family, and can miraculously balance the two. She’s extremely hard working, and I’m blessed to have that trait passed down to me. I think I’m pretty lucky though, because in spite of having a successful “career woman” for a mom, she was also just that: A mom. She’s worked full-time with two kids for most of my life, and yet still found time to go to my dance recitals and competitions, my brother’s baseball games, as well as a slew of other activities.

I think that’s pretty incredible.

It’s no secret that I’m a classic “mama’s girl.” Ever since I can remember, that’s been a very strong side to my personal identity. Some of my most cherished childhood memories include making a huge mess in my bedroom with my Barbie dolls…setting up houses and closets and cars…and playing for hours with my mom on the weekends. Even my dad’s reminder that “the bigger mess you make, the bigger mess you clean up,” couldn’t damper our fun.

I’ve learned a lot from her, in so many different ways. I definitely don’t need a holiday to tell my mom that I love her and appreciate everything she’s done for my brother and I, but I’ll definitely take it as a prompt to be a little extra nice. She’s an incredible woman and every year, Mother’s Day becomes a more important celebration, as our relationship grows and evolves.

We’ve all got different relationships with our parents, but at the end of the day, they’re just that: Our parents. They raised us. Whether we can think of any or not, they made sacrifices for us, and likely continue to make them. Mothers in particular are amazing people…it’s an instinct, I think, wound deep into female DNA…and it’s pretty cool. So one way or another, I think everyone can appreciate the influence at least one woman has had on their life.

And with that, a very happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms out there!